Vetch and Argentine ants cooperate, exchanging food for protection.
How a Plant and an Ant Help Each Other to Survive
March 25, 2019 •
John Muir Laws
Naturalist and illustrator John Muir Laws is the author of the Laws Field Guide to the Sierra Nevada and Sierra Birds: A Hiker's Guide. Learn more and find class schedules at johnmuirlaws.com.
Birds of Different Feathers Flock Together in Winter
December 28, 2018 •
A quiet winter woodland can suddenly explode with bird life. Jack Laws explains how to tell some of the common species apart.
Naturalist’s Notebook: Freshwater Jellyfish Invade California Lakes and Ponds
October 1, 2018 •
Native to China, Craspedacusta sowerbii is found in freshwater lakes and ponds on every continent.
Naturalist’s Notebook: How An Ant Lion Pit Works
June 26, 2018 •
Ant lions trap their prey in steep pits.
Naturalist’s Notebook: How to Tell Northern California Hawks Apart
March 30, 2018 •
Watching distant raptors in dim light? Ignore color and look at values.
Naturalist’s Notebook: Woodrats Fumigate Their Nests With Bay Leaves to Control Fleas
January 2, 2018 •
Life is so surprisingly webbed and interconnected.
Naturalist’s Notebook: Best Spots to Find Migrating Swifts in the Bay Area
September 25, 2017 •
Every fall thousands of Vaux’s swifts migrate south, congregating at dusk in swirling flocks. Here’s how to find them when they pass through the Bay Area.
Naturalist’s Notebook: Illustrated Squirrels of the Bay Area
July 1, 2017 •
Follow the “kuks” and “quaaas” to find marauding hawks or foxes.
Naturalist’s Notebook: They Lowered the Level of San Mateo’s Marina Lagoon and Found … These Things
April 4, 2017 •
Australian tube worms are now widespread in brackish waters of the San Francisco Bay.
Naturalist’s Notebook: Good Algae Gone Bad
January 1, 2017 •
Blue-green algae has made some Bay Area ponds dangerous